The Paphos Police arrested a 44-year-old person on Monday night to facilitate investigations regarding an investigated case of racism, assault with actual bodily harm, carrying a weapon to incite terror, insult and threat.
According to the Assistant Police Director of Paphos Operations, Michalis Nikolaou, yesterday information was given to the Police that approximately 30-35 minors of Arab origin, who reside in a Juvenile Facility in Paphos, left on foot for Kennedy Square to protest due to the anniversary of the beginning of civil war in Syria 13 years ago.
Members of the ADE Paphos went, as Mr. Nikolaou mentioned, to Kennedy Square and identified those persons who were protesting peacefully. Over time, patrons of adjacent properties began to complain about their presence there, while confrontations also started.
With the intervention of the Police, nothing too serious happened and the protestors left, Mr. Nikolaou told KYPE. He stated that subsequently, the 44-year-old, who previously complained about the presence of foreigners there, allegedly attacked and insulted a foreigner, aged 47, a permanent resident of Paphos, with racist phrases and also punched him in the face, causing him actual bodily harm. The 44-year-old was immediately arrested by the police officers present and subsequently taken into custody, he added.
Moreover, in a second case, two minors who live in the Juvenile Facility were arrested for the offenses of disorderly conduct and causing damage.
According to Mr. Nikolaou, after the protestors returned to the Juvenile Building, 10-15 of them allegedly ran amok and, holding sticks and stones, caused damage to the building facilities of the Building. The incident at the Juvenile Facility ended with the intervention of the Police.
Regarding the second episode of the disturbance, testimony was secured against two persons aged 15 and 16 who were arrested on warrants and are in custody, Mr. Nikolaou said.
The examinations for the above cases are continuing by the Paphos Police.
Source: KYPE